OREANDA-NEWS. November 19, 2013. The European Commission has transferred the second instalment of 11.6 million euros to the Moldovan state budget, within the programme “Support to Reform of the Energy Sector in Moldova”. Deputy Prime Minister, Economics Minister Valeriu Lazar made statements to this effect at news conference.

The first instalment of 13 million euros, within the budgetary support programme worth 40 million euros, was transferred to the state budget in December 2011. This programme is one of the five budgetary support operations amounting to over 216 million euros, under way in different sectors in Moldova.

The budgetary support programme in the energy sector is meant to increase the safety of the energy supplies, develop a more efficient environment from the energy viewpoint and modernise the entire Moldovan energy system. The providing of European funds within the programme is based on achieving the objectives of policies agreed on between the EU and government.

„I have a professional satisfaction to affirm that the energy sector is among the first sectors in Moldova where the EU acquis has been implemented, proceeding from Moldova’s commitments assumed within the Energy Community Treaty in 2010,” Lazar said. Under the 2030 energy strategy, which is line with the EU one, two political objectives have been set: to ensure the energy safety and diminish the energy bill of Moldova and each consumer, Lazar added.

„The process itself of implementation of the commitments before the European Union changes the things in a good direction in Moldova and this transformation process must be lasting,” Lazar said.

„The reforms that are carried out in the energy sector will transform the economy into a more efficient one from the energy point of view and will lead to a better use of renewable energy sources. The benefits of these actions will be felt by the Moldovan citizens by access to more diverse energy sources and a more qualitative infrastructure, which will cut the energy costs,” Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola said.

The European Commission recognises that the goals set for 2012 have been achieved by the Moldovan authorities at a 90- per cent level and underlines the importance of the sustained efforts to attain the objectives in 2013.

Moldova has adopted a new energy strategy and action plan in the energy efficiency area, and a new law and action plan on promotion of energy from renewable sources is going to be adopted. A string of new laws and regulations have been worked out, including the thermal energy law, the one on energy performance of buildings, the laws on energy labelling and ecological designing. The Energy Efficiency Agency elaborated a database on public buildings and energy statistics, and created a single information centre in the energy efficiency sector for investors.

Another important achievement was the launch of the Energy Efficiency Fund. The first 41 projects on restoration of hospitals, universities, schools and other buildings of the public sector all over Moldova were approved for financing in October 2013, with another 42 objects at the final assessment stage. The estimative cost of these works is of 130 million lei. Over 80 investment projects shall be approved for financing in 2013 in all.